Answers to questions about self-care for COVID and when you should seek medical help.
Suzanne Myers was sick, concerned and a little confused. Myers, a 55-year-old who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., and her husband are both vaccinated and boosted against COVID, and in early spring they went to a weekend party with about 20 other people at the home of friends. On the Monday morning after the party, Myers woke up with a sore throat.
To answer questions about self-care for COVID and about when you should seek medical help, Scientific American called physicians across the country who are treating COVID patients. We also reviewed recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as several public health experts, to gather the most up-to-date advice for people who think or know that they have the disease.All current cases in the U.S.
When people test positive, it is a good idea for them to call a primary care physician if they have one. Doctors can provide guidance on treatment and update medical histories. They will also report the result to public health authorities so that it is included in case counts. At a minimum, people should track the date that symptoms began and the date of a positive test.Most people who get COVID will be just fine at home.